Demolition Lovers
by Clovache
Summary: It's an age old prospect falling in love. But Near doesn't get it, and he never will if nobody helps him. [MattxNear] [Yaoi] [Spoilers]
1. Well, it rains

**Tsukiraven**: -formal bow- Hello, all. Let me introduce myself:

My name is Raven; feel free to call me pretty much anything. Except Dumbass. And douche bag. Yeah... not too fond of those two.

**Light**: Stop talking; no one cares.

**Tsukiraven**: Th-they don't?

**Light**: No. No one here could care less.

**Tsukiraven**: -sobsniffle-

**L**: -spears cake on a fork- They're waiting for you to start the fanfiction, Miss Authoress Raven.

**Tsukiraven**: B-But I always write these notes! Didn't they read 'I'll Cover You'? These were a hit there! –flails-

**Light**: -stares with contempt- Different fandom, different readers.

**Tsukiraven**: Oh... well, shit.

Since you all probably didn't read I'll Cover You, lemme fill you in on a few good things.

Le uno: I have quite a mouth on me. I'm vulgar. I'm a pervert. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Le dos: I love Yaoi. This story is yaoi. I won't stand for bull about how I didn't warn you. I'm warning you now, okay? –waves arms- Warning over here people! Yo? Hi, okay.

Le tres: I LOVE music. If any of you read ICU, the whole thing was quasi-RENT based.

I'm using a My Chemical Romance theme for this one: Chappie titles and story name an' all. –nodnod- Cookies to whomever can get the song title to match the quotes.

Le cuatro: This is an AU story- alternate universe. The characters are OOC- I know. Hey, there are two boys having sex on a leather couch! - I'm well aware, this is my story and I put them there.

**Mello**: Nice touch with the rhyming.

**Light**: -rolls eyes-

**Tsukiraven: **And this, dearest readers, is a fanfic for the ever elusive pairing of MattNear! Yay! Inspired by **Ice Puppet**'s fabulous fic "Stripes" and a role-play of sorts that I'm involved in on Gaia.

All right... I think that's everything! –whistles non-chalantley-

**Near: **-frowns- Forgetting something?

**Tsukiraven: **Oh, whatever do you mean? –sparkles-

**Near: **-curls hair around finger- The disclaimer.

**Tsukiraven: **I... don't own it. My fondest dream is that I may one day own Death Note. But I don't. –whines- Can we move ooon! This subject is hard to discuuuuss!

**Matt: **-lights cigarette- And we're moving on in three... two... one, action.

Demolition Lovers 

_**Chapter o1: Well, it rains and it pours when you're out on your own.**_

It wasn't that the rain really _bothered_ Matt. It didn't piss him off. The purely logical facts were there, lying neatly in front of him: water was falling from the sky. Feeding crops. Whoopdee-fucking-doo.

The clouds didn't bother him. Even though Matt was never one to look at them and imagine them as animals or some other such bull as a child, he could always appreciate them; so carefree.

No, it wasn't even the thunder.

The power was out. And no power meant no Play Station. No Nintendo. No X-Box. No _nothing._ Matt groaned in frustration, reaching around in the pitch black of the empty observation room for his handheld game for a good ten minutes before remembering that Mello had taken it from him earlier that day for not doing his job.

Matt sighed, hanging his head dejectedly. _Well... Goddamn._

_---_

Near's fingers twitched as he stacked die upon die in the SPK's new hideout. "Please close the curtains, Hal Lidner." He stated in a monotonous voice. "It's raining out." But Hal didn't move and rain continued to poor through the open windows, soaking everything in its way.

Near looked up, his colourless eyes peering over his stacks of dice. He was alone- there was no one watching the computers, the security videos. No one was trying to decipher anything, decode anything; no one was even _there._ Near blinked. How unusual.

"Hal?" He called out, stepping carelessly over his dice, "Gevanni? Commander Rester? ...Hello?" Curious, Near ambled towards an adjoining room: No one. The hallway: nothing. Even a small cupboard off the kitchen had no signs, no traces, of anything at all. The three elder members of the SPK were all just _gone_.

As Near was contemplating the events surrounding the disappearances of his fellow detectives- it was fascinating really; another large, blank puzzle to be solved- an ear shattering scream caught his attention. _'Outside... A female's voice... Hal Lidner?'_

"Oh God, someone help!" The same voice called out desperately.

"Suicide?" Another- this one male.

"Homicide!"

"... Kira?"

"Somebody," the first voice screeched again and Near was instantly positive that the origin of this voice was not Hal Lidner, "call an ambulance! Get them help!" Near frowned, making his way to the street door.

"An ambulance won't help!" A man's panicky voice yelled out. Near cautiously peered outside, his eyes widening when he saw the three bodies piled in a bloody heap in the center of a stopped-up street.

"They're already dead! An ambulance won't help!"

---

Matt glared venomously at the light up screen of his laptop. "Don't you dare..." he threatened, cigarette smoke seeping from his barely opened mouth. "Don't you die on me, you shitty piece of shit--" The screen on his laptop flickered briefly and died altogether, leaving a very pissed off Matt alone in a very dark room.

"Damn," the redhead muttered, snapping the dead computer shut. Rain was pouring relentlessly on the roof of his and Mello's apartment, mocking him. Goddamn rain- _mocking him!_

Grumbling, Matt flipped his coat pocket open to discover- low and behold! - that he was also out of cigarettes.

Perfect.

Groaning dejectedly the boy laid back, his head landing against the carpeted floor with a soft thunk. He chose to ignore the noise; no need for the floor to mock him too.

'_Maybe I can sleep through the entire storm_,' Matt thought, _'and when I wake up it will be sunny and Mello will be here to give me back my portable with a big ass apologetic grin on his face. And then a week's paid vacation. Oh, and then Kira can ring our doorbell and turn himself in. Har har. Behold the power of positive thinking.'_

Matt sighed, closing his eyes tiredly. Sleep... he could do sleep.

_Ding!_

Or not. Matt opened one eye lazily, glaring at the door. A small spot of barely-there light filtered through the peep hole, moving in and out of focus in response to someone's shadow covering the small hole on the other side of the door.

Matt rolled over, ignoring the door. The only person who'd ever visit this dump of an apartment was Mello, and he had his own key. And screw him to hell if he lost it.

_Ding!_

_Ding!_

Matt groaned, sitting up. It was obvious that whoever was at his door was not going to leave. After a few moments of careful deliberation (Let the poor bastard in or let him rot), the redhead stood and quickly made his way to the door.

_Ding!_

"Shut up," Matt sighed, turning the doorknob, "I'm coming... Near?" A small, white haired boy stood on the threshold of the apartment, his body soaked. White, sopping wet pajamas clung to his prone form, his mop of curly hair was plastered to his head with rainwater. As Matt watched, the albino boy lifted a single hand to curl his fingers around the tangled and wet mass.

"Matt." Near greeted solemnly, his lifeless gray eyes peering up at the shocked smoker.

"Er, yo." Matt leaned against the doorframe, observing the smaller boy. "What are you--"

"Doing here?" Near cut him off swiftly, cradling a toy robot to his chest.

"Yeah."

"Aside from myself, all of the members of the SPK have been eliminated," Near stated dully. "I have no where else to go. Kira supporters, even Kira himself, may be watching the SPK headquarters. I have reason to believe that he may even know my name." He paused, letting the severity of that statement rest on Matt's shoulders.

Near's name. Aside from the late L, Near had probably done the best job of hiding his name and face. Where Mello tended to leap into the public eye and demand attention, Near preferred to hang back and play with his toys. The young albino had ever destroyed every picture and written record involving himself, his birth and his name. How could anyone have learned Near's real name?

"... in?"

Matt blinked, shaking his head to clear his thoughts. "Sorry. Say again?"

"Could I come in?"

Matt sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Mello lives here too."

Near nodded. "I know. That's how I found this place- I tracked his cell phone almost a month ago. That coupled with eyewitness reports of a 'mysterious and scary looking blond man with a scarred face' having been seen in the area two times within the last week, I assumed that Mello would still be here, and by extension you would to."

Matt nodded. Made sense. "What would you have done if we hadn't been living here?"

Near blinked. "I..." he paused to think, twisting his hair ruthlessly. "I would probably be in the hands of Kira or a Kira supporter right now. Possibly even dead.

"May I come in?"

Matt sighed, shrugging. "Yeah. Come on in."

---

**Tsukiraven: **That was hard. Why was that so hard?

**L: **You haven't written a fanfiction in ages and you're out of practice.

**Near: **You have difficulty writing for my character.

**Light: **You're retarded.

**Mello: **There was not enough me in this chapter.

**Matt: **-plays game-

**Tsukiraven: **All of the above?

... Except Light's.

Well, readers dear, sorry that this chappie kind of sucked the big wazoo. True, I haven't written anything that's not original in a while- I'm trying to get back on this fanfic-writing-love train!

And yeah, this chapter was pretty much Near and Matt exclusive. But they're in love, so it's okay.

**Near: **-blink- In love?

**Tsukiraven: **-waves hand impatiently- So anyway, yeah. First chappie done. Please, please review! I love them li'l reviews!

**Near: **What do you mean 'in love'?

**Tsukiraven: **And that about wraps it up for this chappie. So peace out! Until next time, ya'll!


	2. Come one, come all

**Tsukiraven: **Well hello everyone! Welcome back!

**L: **Hi. –eats cake-

**Tsukiraven: **Second chapter time! Always better than the first. –nods-

Alright, before anyone says anything: I know they are out-of-character. Okay? Okay.

So, let's get right down to it- oh! Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chappie, you guys rock socks.

Alright, I don't own it! Roll chappie!

Demolition Lovers 

_**Chapter o2: Come one, come all to this tragic affair.**_

Near stepped quietly into the pitch-black apartment, Matt closing the door behind him. "Your power is out," he observed, running his pale fingers through his even paler hair.

"Gee, I didn't notice," Matt said sarcastically. "Thanks for sharing."

Near nodded and Matt scowled in response. That damn brat, where did he get off mocking—

"I could try and fix your fuses when it stops raining," Near offered, "and sap electrical energy off of the nearest generator."

Oh. _Oh. _Well, damn.

"Thanks," Matt said genuinely. He grinned at the smaller boy, suddenly feeling a hell of a lot more hospitable. "You must be cold." Near nodded wordlessly, his small hand once again embedded in his hair. "Here, I'll find you a towel..." Matt trailed off, walking out of the room.

Near looked around, curious. So this was where Mello and Matt had been holed up. Two large television screens- situated next to a pitifully small and boarded up window- completely covered one wall. One appeared to be hooked up to several monitoring devices while the other was attached to every game system Near had ever seen and more. Massive stacks of games surrounded the systems but allowed a clear viewing path from T.V. to couch and back. Junk food and assorted wrappers littered the floor along with an ashtray overflowing with cigarette butts.

"I know, I know," Matt called, tossing a towel at Near, "it's probably not as fancy as the SPK headquarters, but it's home."

Near watched Matt walk around the small room, the towel that the redhead had given him clutched in his hands. "Home." He repeated softly.

"Yeah," Matt murmured, not paying close attention.

Near sat down on the couch, making room for himself next to a small pile of dirty clothes. He pressed the soft towel to his face, staring without seeing into its bleached white fibers.

"Near, tell me what happened." Matt said, sitting on the opposite end of the couch, eyes turned on Near.

"I told you," Near's muffled voice wafted out from somewhere within the towel. "Everyone in the SPK, minus myself, has been murdered by Kira."

"And?"

"And?" Near's toneless eyes snapped up from the towel to lock onto Matt's. The redhead stood his ground. "That's all there is to it. They're all dead."

"Your shirt is covered in blood," Matt observed, wishing like hell that he hadn't run out of cigarettes.

Near looked down, his eyes widening marginally when he saw the rust coloured stains littering his crisp white shirt. "I..."

"Were you there when they died?"

"I don't know." Near admitted, seemingly unable to tear his eyes away from the stained shirt we wore. "They were killed outside."

"Is that your blood?"

Near shook his head. "No."

"Are you hurt?" Matt couldn't help himself from asking. He watched in silent awe as Near's shoulders trembled.

"... No."

"How many?" Near turned to face him then, and Matt was stunned by the unemotional look on the boy's face. Only his eyes showed it; a streak of deep, deep sorrow smeared among the gray of his irises.

"What?"

"How many did you have? How many died?"

"... Three. Three people, one woman and two men." Matt nodded to himself. Without realizing it himself, Near must have grown attached to the three people brave enough to stand by him and strong enough to remain there.

"How did they--"

Near cut him off this time. "My oldest associate, Rester, died after having a heart attack. The younger male, Gevanni, murdered the female- Lidner was her name- with a gun. He then killed himself with that very same gun." Near sighed. "At least, that's what I was able to decipher from listening to the police."

Matt grimaced. That bastard Kira was too damn cruel.

"And now, you're the only one left." It wasn't a question. Near turned to look at him and even in the darkness that was his apartment, Matt could see the boy's faintly glowing eyes fill with sorrow. Matt watched as Near- the boy with incredible emotional endurance, white hair and skin whiter still, colourless eyes, the top grades in school- broke down. A single crystal tear leaked out of a gray eye.

"Yes."

"Whoa, hey, hey, hey," Matt leaned over and peered at Near's face. "Don't cry."

Everything about Near seemed to shake: his slender hands, his shoulders, his gaze. Everything.

"Don't cry."

"I'm not."

"... You are."

"I am not," Several more tears slid down Near's face, wetting his cheeks. Matt felt a twinge of pain in his chest and ignored it successfully. Fucking Guilt.

"Don't cry," Matt admonished again.

"They weren't criminals," Near whispered, his silver locks barely obscuring his streaming eyes. Matt felt his hardened heart crack in two.

"Goddammit, man," Matt reached forward- pushing the small heap of dirty clothing out of the way- and grabbed Near's shoulders. "Stop crying."

During his life of twenty years, Matt could be counted on to expect many things, by nature. The sky would always reside above his head, for example. It rained on rainy days, he always ran out of smokes when he needed them the most and Mello loved chocolate. Simple things like that. As a matter of fact, it was safe to say that Matt usually saw what was heading his towards him ahead of time, most of the time.

So when Near threw his arms around Matt's shoulders, knocking both of backwards, Matt was surprised that he was so stunned.

But when the small albino boy curled against him, burying his face against Matt's chest as his small body was wracked with silent sobs, Matt wondered why in the world he was so surprised after all.

"Hey," he said, quieter this time. "Don't cry, okay?"

Near said nothing. Matt frowned, wondering if the boy was still crying. He seemed to be, so Matt did the only feasible thing; he pulled Near closer and held him.

Near hiccupped, looking up and locking eyes with Matt. Matt felt a strange jolt run through him; his heart began to pump so fast he swore it was going to leap out of his chest and introduce itself to Near. His face burned, his fingers tightened on Near's shoulders. He wondered what would happen if Near moved forward and closed that three-inch-wide gap between them, between their mouths...

'_Shit man, you most certainly did _not _just think that.'_

Near kept his eyes trained on Matt's, bringing one hand up to curl in his hair and another to rub at his wet eyes.

'_Oh, damn, I _totally_ just thought that.'_

"Matt?"

"'S nothing," Matt muttered. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up." Near nodded wordlessly, standing. Matt hopped to his feet and walked out of the living room, pausing to make sure that Near was following- he was. The two walked down a short hallway and entered a room at the very end- the bathroom.

Matt walked in first, flicking the light switch- which, of course, did nothing. Sighing, he reached into a basket beside the door and pulled out a black, long-sleeved shirt. He handed the article of clothing to Near.

"Here," Matt said. "Change your shirt. That'll probably fit you."

Near nodded thankfully and unbuttoned his bloodstained shirt, letting it fall to the ground without so much as a second glance. Matt could help but watch, fixated, as Near raised his arms above his head to dress himself. His goggle-covered eyes glazed over every minute detail; Near's overly thin arms, his pale chest, a scar that sliced his right side (had his appendix been removed?), everything. He continued to watch until Near had the shirt firmly fixated around his petite frame.

"Thanks," the albino boy offered, twirling his hair.

"No problem," Matt replied. "So tell me; why choose to come here?"

The instant Near opened his mouth to reply, however, a loud bang sounded throughout the apartment.

"Matt!" Mello shouted, "why aren't any of the fucking lights on?" Near whirled around to face the door just as Mello walked through it.

"Hello, Mello," he greeted, twisting a lock of hair around his fingers.

Mello stared, his mouth opened and his hands twitching. "Matt," he stated, his voice dangerously low, "What is _that_ doing here? And why is he wearing _my shirt_?"

---

**Tsukiraven: **Well, that chappie was lots better!

**Light: **-rolls eyes- Everything you do is crap.

**Tsukiraven: **Is not!

**Light: **Is too, times infinity.

**Tsukiraven: **Is not times infinity plus one.

**Light: **You can't get higher than infinity, Dumbass.

**Tsukiraven: **Ehehe... Sure you can't, Pretty Boy. Sure you can't.

**L: **-shakes head-

**Matt: **Why do I come off like a hardened jackass in your story?

**Tsukiraven: **Becaaaaauuse, Near's going to change you for the better! Just wait and see!

**Matt: **-sighs-

**Near: **... –plays with puzzle-

**Tsukiraven: **-sweatdrop- Alright! Hope ya'll liked this chappie. Please, review! They keep me going after I cry myself to sleep at night!

Peace out, ja matte!


	3. Without You

**Tsukiraven: **Eww. This chapter took me so long to write. It also might be a little inconsistent, seeing as how I wrote it in bits and pieces.

So... sorry for that! –sweatdrop-

**Matt: **-clicks tongue, smokes- I don't see where she gets her plots...

**Near: **-watches, curls hair- Y-yeah...

**Matt: **Something up?

**Near: **No! –flushes, puts puzzle together-

**Tsukiraven: **-evil grin-

**Near: **-glares-

**Tsukiraven: **-evil grin-

**Near: **-whips completed puzzle as Tsukiraven's head-

**Tsukiraven: **-evil gri-- -dies-

**Near: **-triumphant smirk- She doesn't own Death Note. –begins to pick up puzzle pieces- She never will.

_**Chapter o3: And Without You is How I Dissapear**_

"What the fuck is he doing here, Matt?" Mello repeated angrily, clenching his hands into fists. Near watched him anxiously, a small finger working through his mop of curled white hair.

"Calm down, Mello." Matt said, his voice strained. "Near was in trouble and came here for help." Mello sneered down at the albino boy in response- Near stared just as defiantly back.

"I don't want to help him." Mello said to Matt. "Get him out."

"I have nowhere else to go." Near said softly. Both Matt and Mello looked to the smaller boy- Matt frowning sympathetically and Mello scowling.

"I don't care," the blonde ordered, "Get out of my house." Near flinched; the gesture was small, pathetic, and crushed Matt to his very core. He could still see the tears of this boy, feel his rapid breaths against his face...

"I have nowhere else to go," Near repeated, looking at Matt this time, eyes pleading. Matt frowned, meeting the shorter boy's eyes.

"Don't worry," Matt said suddenly, resting a hand on Near's shoulder. "You don't have to go anywhere." A small smile graced Near's ghostly features, making Matt's heartbeat rush.

"Thank you," the boy whispered. Mello swore loudly.

"Fuck no, Matt!" The blonde yelled, "No way in hell are we keeping that thing here!"

Matt rolled his eyes. "He isn't a dog, Mello."

"I don't care if he's God, Matt. He's not staying!" Mello stomped his foot down, fingers twitching and glaring angrily at the two men opposite him. Matt was about to respond when he felt himself lose grip of Near's shoulder. The smallest of the three breezed past Mello, not looking back.

"There's no such thing as God," he said, and left.

Matt sighed. "Near, wait a minute." He made to go after the boy when he felt an iron grip clamp onto his wrist.

"Don't you fucking bring him back here," Mello snarled. "I swear, Matt, if you even try—"

"You'll do what, Mel?" Matt rolled his eyes. "I haven't been scared of you since we were eight." Mello grit his teeth. The red head yanked his hand out of the older man's grip and stalked out.

When had it changed? When had it gone from Matt and Mello, Mello and Matt? When had it changed from two on one, the hating of Near- his intelligence, his invisible magnetic pull that caught girls like Linda and even captured the great L's interest- into Matt taking Near's side, leaving Mello alone, one on two now?

Mello snarled angrily, wrenching out a bar of chocolate and stomping out the bathroom. He watched, a sneer on his lips and chocolate in his mouth, as Matt cornered Near in the hall connecting the living room to the one bedroom that the apartment had to offer.

Livid and fuming, he threw the front door open and stepped outside into the pouring rain, storming off down the street. Who knew, he reasoned to himself, maybe Matt would come around and the albino would be gone by morning.

Because there was no way in that Mello was going to let this continue, certainly not.

No one- and hell, when he said no one, he _meant_ no one- took Matt's attention away from him. Matt was his, L was his, and dammit all straight to hell if Mello couldn't keep it that way.

---

"Hey, Near," Matt said soothingly, placing a hand on the smaller boy's shoulder. "You shouldn't just storm out like that, okay?" Near nodded. "Because I'm facing possible hell from Mello in there." And possible withholding of sex, Matt added in his mind, but it didn't seem right to say that in front of Near. Near nodded again.

"Sorry," the albino boy amended. "But I didn't feel like getting caught up in Mello's anger. He can hit rather hard when's he enraged."

Near was curling his hair again. Matt sighed, eyeing the smaller boy in front of him. "Near, you're already caught up in this... So just ignore Mello as best you can and focus on what you're going to do next, okay?"

Near nodded for the third time. "Okay," he said. "Matt...?"

"Yeah Near?"

Near looked up at him, his steel shaded eyes wide. Matt wanted to kiss him. "Thank you."

"Yeah, Near." Matt smiled crookedly, giving the boy's shoulder an affectionate squeeze. "No prob." Near's eyes widened farther. "Something the matter?"

The white haired boy shook his head and Matt shrugged in response, leaving his hand on Near's shoulder. "Is there anything you need, Near?" The redhead asked. "Any personal shit?"

The albino shook his head. "Everything I need is here," Near gestured at himself. "I don't have anything else anymore."

Matt nodded. Undoubtedly, Near's place of residence had been roped off, all yellow tape and 'Crime Scene: Do Not Enter'. If nothing else, at least, that Kira was one helluva smart cookie- kill Near's co-workers outside so even if Near'd had the composure necessary to dispose of the bodies and continue working, he wouldn't be able to. Three people murdered in the middle of the street with witnesses all around, of course the police would be all over the area like leather on Mello.

It had been a good move, Matt grudgingly admitted to himself. Separate Near from everything at his disposal, his tool, his evidence, tapes and comrades- and hopefully traumatize the boy as well- in one swift and cutting blow.

'_Fucking parody of a fucking Grim Reaper's scythe. Bastard.'_

And Kira had probably considered Mello as well, the damn prick, probably thought that Mello and Near were on too poor of terms to communicate. Near would be alone.

And he was _right_, Matt realized.

'_If Mello had been home instead of me, he definitely wouldn't have let Near in. Near might be dead by now.' _The thought sent a shiver up and down the redhead's spine.

It was all too cruel.

"Matt?" Matt looked back at Near, a curious expression on his face.

"What?"

"Can I sleep?" Matt noticed the slight tremor in the boy's soft voice, the wobble in his stance. Near was practically dead on his feet.

"Yeah," Matt replied, voice hoarse. "Sure you can, come on," he grabbed Near's hand- a tiny hand, tiny fingers, so cold too- and guided him to the bedroom just down the hall from where they had stood just moments ago.

"You can crash in here," Matt offered as Near walked into the room. "I don't think Mello will be back tonight, but if you get scared you can always lock the door. And don't open the window; it sticks and I don't want rain to get on anything."

Near nodded, feeling his way over to the bed. Matt watched- eyes now adjusted to the pitch that was their house- as Near climbed into the bed, his white, white body sliding in between the navy comforters and the black cotton sheets.

"Goodnight," he said, his voice a whisper.

"Night," Matt said in reply, closing the door with a soft click. Sighing, he walked into the living room and flopped down onto the couch.

'_Laptop's dead...' _he yawned, _'No smokes... Near's sleeping, God knows where Mello is... No power, Kira's out there... somewhere... DS batteries are fried, nothing to do... Near's in there, asleep... Mello, Near, Kira... Me... Matt, Mail. Mail Jeevas. Near, Mail. Mello, Matt. Matt, Mail... Kira... shooting, heart attacks, suicide... Rain, fucking rain... fucking Mello, sex with Mello... sex with Near... kissing Near, crying Near... Near, Near, Near. White hair, curling... need a smoke... Near...'_

Before he knew it, Matt had fallen asleep.

---

Matt woke up the next morning cranky and irritable with a kink in his back from sleeping on the sofa. Sitting up, nonetheless.

Groaning and idly wondering if the power was back on, Matt swung his legs over the edge of the couch, narrowly avoiding stepping on a pile of clothing as he planted his feet firmly on the ground.

... A pile of white clothes. A pair of white pants and a tight, black shirt with two white socks and a sleeping little boy inside. Matt blinked. Why the hell was Near sleeping on the floor next to his couch?

Shaking his head, Matt leaned over to look at Near. The younger boy was curled up, his chest rising and falling in correspondence with the breaths he took. His face was angled downwards, the shadows from his eyelashes falling like pale spider webs over his cheekbones.

After a brief pause, Matt leaned forward and scooped Near into his arms, lifting him up. Near turned over, his hands falling limply against Matt's chest. Matt couldn't help but smile.

"Cute..." he muttered, then blinked. Near wasn't cute.

'_Yes he is, and you hold the tiny, adorable proof in your arms.'_ A soft sigh escaped the boy in his arms.

Still smiling, Matt settled back down on top of the couch cushions- albeit, in a much more comfortable position. He placed his head on the armrest of the couch and then, in a single, fluid motion, pull Near against him. The redhead wrapped his stripe-clad arms around the smaller boy and held him tight, bound, against his chest.

Of course, it came as no surprise to Matt when Near stiffened instantly. The boy was far too used to isolation to have been held like this by anyone, at least not recently. It delighted Matt when Near relaxed in his arms, raising his own to wrap loosely around Matt's torso.

Matt smiled as Near buried his face against his shoulder. Of course, this was no surprise to the chain smoker either.

He knew that Near had been awake from the moment he picked him up.

-----

**Tsukiraven: **-dead-

**L: **... Hm? Miss Raven? –cautiously pokes with toe-

**Tsukiraven: **-remains dead-

**Light: **Just don't bother, Ryuuzaki.

**L: **But I... –looks at Dead!Tsukiraven- Hm. Well, yes. I see your point.

**Matsuda: **Um, hi. –cute smile- Tsuki-san asked me to remind you all to drop her a line, even if it's only a word. She did love them, after all... –eyes begin to tear- A-and it was in her will... –sniffle,sniffle-

**Light: **Idiot Matsuda, she's not actually dea-

**Matsuda: **Hold me, Ryuuzaki! –flings self at L-

**L:** -blink- There, there, Touta. –pats a sobbing Matsuda gently on the shoulder-

**Light: **-watches jealously- -grits teeth-

**Tsukiraven: **-holds up a sign begging for reviews-


	4. Take My Hand

**Tsukiraven: **Wow. –awakens from death- I...have no excuse for making everybody wait this long. I'm so sorry! –flail- But I just moved to this new house, and then I had summer homework, and school started again, and-

**Light: **Those are excuses, you dumb shit.

**Tsukiraven: **ANYWAY, moving on here, I apologize. I really do! And if I still have any readers out there, please forgive me guys. I'll try to do much better next time.

I'm also brainstorming another MattxNear fanfic with a friend, and I've already sort of started the next chappie of this one. So be patient with me.

This chapter's for you, X. Haha, if you hadn't asked me about this constantly it never would've gotten done.

**Light: **I'll have to kill him.

**Tsukiraven: **-nonchalant wave of the hand- Yes, yes.

**L: **In any case, it gets a little more mature in this segment. –bites thumb- There's a lot of swearing and some sexual ref-

**Tsukiraven: **Expect a full-blown lemon, next chappie! –waves arms-

**L: **Hush, don't interrupt. Like I was saying, there are a few sexual references in this chapter, as well as a very pissy Mello. –sips some tea- You've all been warned.

**Light: **And she doesn't own Death Note.

**L: **So, enjoy the new chapter.

_**Chapter o4:**__**Take My Fucking Hand and Never Be Afraid Again.**_

Matt held onto Near tightly, and tighter with each passing moment. The boy's arms, he noticed, were thin and frail- Near's knobby elbow could be seen with detail through the thin material of Mello's shirt. Near's back was a gentle slope, Matt followed it with equally gentle eyes, down, down, down...the smoker blushed. He ran his hands down Near's back in what he hoped would be a soothing motion, following the path that his eyes had taken.

"Haah," Near sighed softly, tightening his hold on Matt's torso. "Matt..." Matt smiled, continuing to rub the boy's back until Near stiffened and looked up, wide gray eyes filled with confusion. "What are you doing?"

"Comforting you," Matt replied quickly. He didn't want to trick himself into thinking that it would be something more- not with the albino. It could never be more with _Near. _"That was my game plan." He chuckled to himself, stroking up and down Near's spine. "Is it making you uncomfortable? Do you want me to stop?"

Near let his head loll against Matt's chest as he sighed again, softer. "No...No. It's fine." Smiling, Matt pulled Near closer, practically crushing the smaller boy into his chest. Several minutes passed in peaceful silence, until "...Why are you comforting me?"

Matt blinked, continuing to rub small circles into the albino's back. "Huh?"

"Why." Near insisted, one tiny hand reaching up to curl in his own hair. "What do you have to gain from it?" All ready, Matt could feel the albino boy trying to squirm from his grip, paranoid and suspicious of Matt's kindness.

"What? Nothing at all! I just want to help." Matt said, stubbornly refusing to release the now vividly wiggling boy. "I don't want you to be sad."

Near paused in his struggles, and Matt blushed, feeling as though he'd said something very childish and stupid. "Sad?"

"Yeah," The redhead muttered, "You know. You were crying yesterday," Near had turned to face Matt with an expression of mild shock on his face, "And I could tell you were in pain," Of course, every emotion came up mild on Near's face, like condensation on an empty glass, "And I...It hurt, to see you hurting. Because you were crying," Great, keep going Genius! Show Near that third place intelligence! "Because, your co-workers died and..." No, you idiot, don't remind him! "I want you to know that" Yes, that's better. "You're not alone, Near."

Near's eyes widened. Expressions, suddenly tangible and readable, flew across the small boy's face; surprise, then sorrow and finally loneliness, each so powerful they made Matt's stomach churn with sympathy. And then the redhead realized.

_Yes, that's what this was._

"Matt, nobody has...Not since..."

_This burning feeling whenever Near looked at him. When Near talked, or cried or blushed or _touched

A slight pink shade was rising over the boy's features like fog. "Not for a very long time, in any case, and I..."

_So that's what it was; he hadn't felt it before._

Near's voice was wavering, and Matt could see his careful composition crumbling. "...want to thank yo-" Matt cut of Near's expression of gratitude with a swift, simple kiss.

_It was pity._

"It's okay," Matt whispered against Near's lips, holding the boy to him in a tight embrace. Near's cheeks were pink, going on red by now, and he observed Matt with wide, shocked eyes. _'He's just so cute...' _

"It's all okay, Near," Matt continued, moving his lips over the smaller boy's. Near seemed to tremble in his arms. "You're not alone." Near closed his eyes, tears forming beneath his lids.

"Thank you." He murmured, and Matt felt warmth spread from Near's lips to his, and then every part of his body.

No.

No. It wasn't that...it had to be pity. If it was pity, Matt wasn't taking advantage of Near to get something he wanted.

He kissed the boy again, and was thrilled to his core when Near responded, however shallowly, by burying his fingers in Matt's hair.

If it was pity, Matt wasn't betraying Mello.

Matt felt Near exhale, his warm breath puffing over Matt's mouth. His fingers moved in Matt's hair, clutching not-quite-too-tightly at the red strands.

If it were pity, then Matt wouldn't be falling in love with the boy in his arms. It would be better for everybody, if it was just pity.

Matt kissed Near again, a third time, and felt the boy melt between his arms. Near's eyes slid shut, and Matt was elated at the implied trust in such a small action. The younger began to move his hands in Matt's hair, his small fingertips kneading the redhead's scalp in a tantalizing way. Matt groaned.

"Near..." Near made no move to open his eyes but pulled back slightly, his lips leaving Matt's, as if to let the chain smoker know that he was listening.

"Yes?" He said softly, his voice so quiet that Matt almost missed it.

"...Nothing," Matt replied, kissing the smaller boy again. He moved his hands from Near's back to his waist and held him there, tenderly kissing the boy until Near's lips parted.

Matt paused. _'Does he know what's he's doing?' _Hesitantly, Matt allowed his tongue to glide over Near's bottom lip, tentatively taking in the albino's taste. Near's lips were soft and warm, and just as welcoming as any girl's, or Mello's.

'_What am I even doing?' _

Near made a soft noise in the back of his throat as Matt continued to kiss him, the redhead's tongue coaxing the smaller boy's in a languid and steady fashion. Matt licked Near's tongue gently, pure electricity running through his veins as Near gasped, his tongue darting back farther.

"Matt!" Near gasped out, breaking the kiss and staring up at the older man with wide eyes. He continued to gasp for breath, his fingers still in Matt's hair. "What was...what was that?"

Matt lowered his eyes, to Near's lips and kissed him again, chastely. "Comfort," the smoker replied, willing to tell Near that it was _anything,_ anything at all but what he was afraid of feeling for the albino.

Near nodded slowly, absorbing what Matt had told him. He removed his hands from Matt's hair and buried one in his own, looking thoughtful. "Comfort..."

Matt pulled Near against his chest, covering the smaller hand with his own. "Hasn't anybody ever comforted you, Near?" Near shook his head. "Did it bo-"

"I liked it," Near said abruptly, looking away from Matt. Matt blinked at him, his eyes interested behind his violet goggles.

"Near..."

"I...I liked it, Matt. Please, do it again."

---

Matt walked toward the bathroom, hours later, a smile on his lips and his goggles around his neck. He mouth was still tingling from the several kisses he and Near had shared, his shoulders and scalp, cheeks and tongue seemed to burn with his memories of Near's touches and licks. The albino's scent was embedded in Matt's memory. The arousal between his legs seemed to throb with each step.

Kissing out of pity was one thing, but a pity fuck? And Matt had a feeling that Near wasn't ready for _anything_ like _that_ and even if he was...Wasn't this all too sudden? He hadn't seen Near since their joint days at the orphanage, and all he remembered from back then was an arrogantly smart little boy with round cheeks who...was never actually all that arrogant. Mello made that up, more or less, the redhead supposed.

And the roundness was cute, Matt's memory testified, as he recalled when Near had first been brought to Whammy's. A tiny little five year old to his six and Mello's seven, his form a tiny blur of white and pink and peach, a stuffed bunny clutched in his fragile, oh-so-tiny white hands. Matt distinctly remembered both he and Mello greeting the new child with exuberance and friendship, Matt could even remember hugging the tiny boy. Had he been waiting since that day to hold Near in his arms again? Had any opportunities at a friendship been stolen away when Near began beating Mello at test after test and Mello had become fed up?

Matt's thoughts were interrupted, however, when an iron grip clamped onto his arm and dragged him into a room to his right, slamming the door when he was inside. Matt exhaled sharply when his captor threw him at their bed and missed, sending the redhead to crash to the ground.

"Shit!" Matt exclaimed, wincing and holding his side, "Dude, I _just_ got him to fall asleep three minutes ago!"

Standing by the door, Mello seethed. "What are you, Matt, his fucking babysitter?" Mello stomped over to his fallen friend and leapt onto the bed above him, glaring down in the way that a hungry vulture would at a very, very soon to be dead man.

Matt scowled as Mello continued. "No, then again, babysitters don't suck on their client's tongues for three fucking hours Matt, I saw! I watched-"

"Why the hell would you _watch_?"

"-and I'm disgusted, you shitty ass traitor! Since when the fuck do you _SUCK FACE_ with the enemy? Near's our enemy! Or have you forgotten that? He's a no-good, pasty ass fuck with absolutely no qualities, so I don't even get why in the hell you'd want to-"

"Mello shut the fuck up," Matt grumbled. The blonde was becoming ridiculous.

Mello's scowl deepened, fury in his eyes. "Make. Me."

Matt snapped, his anger mixing with arousal as he grabbed Mello's bony shoulders and forced him back on the bed, smashing his lip's to the blonde's. "I so fucking will."

-----

**Tsukiraven: **Anyone else think that might have been crap?

**Near:** For writing it over the course of a few months, it wasn't terrible. –curls his hair-

**Matt: **-plays with Near's hair- It wasn't complete shit. –smokes-

**Mello: **You're crap! –angeranger- Look what you did to them!

**Tsukiraven: **We had a few months to bond. –evil-

**Mello: **I'll murder you in your sleep, woman.

**Tsukiraven: **Anyway, review guys! See ya later. And to Nate River18: I'm expecting my five thousand cookies in the mail any day now. –nodnod- -WAITS-


	5. Romance

**Tsukiraven: **Don't you all love the fast update? –triumph-

**Light:** No.

**Tsukiraven: **C'mon Light. –happy- Rejoice with me!

**Light: **I wish you'd die.

**Tsukiraven: **L?

**L: **...-tries to scooch out in the opposite direction-

**Tsukiraven: **L, we're over here! –wavewave- Don't you wanna hang with us?

**L: **-flees-

**Tsukiraven: **L? Light? Wah. –dismayed-

Anyway, I don't own any of it.

**Warning: Graphic sexual content! Boy/boy! If you don't like it, don't read it but I'm warning you now. **

**Chapter o5: Romance**

_Whenever new additions were brought to The Whammy House, an orphanage for gifted children, it was customary for the children already there to scope out the new arrival and then, by group consensus, decide if he or she was a go or no go._

_Of course, group consensus meant that if Mello liked the kid, he stayed. And nobody argued with Mello's choice. The eight year old was tough, snarky and rude. Anybody under ten listened to him, and anybody over eleven didn't want anything to do with the raging time bomb that was the black clad little boy. _

_So when another child, probably newly orphaned as most of them had been, arrived that snowy night, it didn't surprise anybody when Mello and his best friend Matt stormed down into the orphanage's foyer to meet him._

"_He dresses funny," Mello observed, and Matt was inclined to agree- the boy was tiny and his clothes were far too big for him, a pair of white pajamas so old and ill kept that they'd turned gray. "Why isn't he wearing normal clothes?"_

"_Maybe his old clothes were all bloody or something," Matt supplied, twirling the lollipop in his mouth. "Or maybe he was naked when they found 'im."_

"_Ew, Matt likes to think about naked boys."_

"_Shut up Mello!" The redhead flushed and glared at his cackling friend- well, it was his fault that he confided _that _secret to the older boy- earning them both a reproachful look from the proprietor of the orphanage- and elderly, wizened man named Roger._

"_Those boys over there are Mello and Matt, Nate." They heard Roger telling the boy, patting him on his head of unruly white hair. "Everybody here has a sort of code that they go by, all right? So don't give anybody your real name; have them address you as Near." Mello and Matt exchanged looks, mouthing words back and forth._

"_Near?"_

_Matt shrugged._

"_It is an odd name...wonder why Roger picked it."_

"_And 'Mello' is any better?"_

"_Shut up."_

"_Boys." Roger commanded, calling the two silent boys away from their bickering. "Take Near up to the dorms and let him room with you for tonight. We'll get you a room of your own tomorrow," Roger added to near, patting the boy's shoulder. "If you have any questions, you can ask Mello, Matt, or any other students here. Good night." And with that, Roger had left. _

_From across the hall, Near stared at Matt and Mello with wide, dark eyes. His hair was curly and white, his cheeks round with baby fat. Matt and Mello stared back._

_Seemingly reluctant to make the first move, the former stepped forward. "My name is Near," he said in a soft voice, raising a hand to play with his hair._

"_I'm Matt," the redhead replied, eager to be friends with the cute little boy. _

"_Call me Mello," the last boy said, his tone amiable and friendly. "How old are you, Near?"_

"_Six."_

"_Where are you from?"_

"_Britain..."_

"_How'd ya get here?" Mello asked, and Matt cringed. The blonde could be so blunt. But instead of breaking down like several weaker new arrivals seemed to do at the onslaught of so many questions, Near seemed to straighten, and look Mello in the eye._

"_This is an orphanage, isn't it?" Near said coolly, in a tone too mature for a six year old. "Use your brain as to imagine how."_

_Mello stared. Matt gaped. People didn't talk to other people that way- People didn't talk to _Mello _that way. But to Matt's surprise (and relief) the blonde boy rolled with the sharp words, and laughed._

_Mello did have a pretty laugh._

"_What a spunky kid," Mello said, grinning. "Ya see that Matt? That was cool." The exuberant blonde bounded over to the other boy eagerly, and thumped him hard on the shoulder. Matt thought he saw the boy buckle under the force of Mello's hit. "He's a go, Matt. He's totally a go."_

_Matt's apprehension gave way to excitement and he nodded eagerly, hurrying to join the other two. "All right," he said. "Cool. So hey," He bent down to examine the tiny boy, who blinked back up at him. "Wanna go upstairs? We'll show you around tomorrow. It's a Saturday, so we can introduce you to everyone too." Near said nothing, merely looked back at Matt with large, clear eyes. Matt grinned, taking the child's silence for approval. "All right, so it's cool with you? Awesome. C'mon," The redhead grabbed the smaller boy's hand and began to tug him towards the stairs. Mello laughed behind him._

"_Whoa, Matt!" The blonde jeered good naturedly, jogging to keep up with his friend's quick pace. "First you think about him naked, then you hold his hand? What will people think?" _

_Matt blushed to the roots of his fiery hair. "Shut it, Mel!" Mello laughed, but Matt felt something soothing- the pale boy beside him had squeezed Matt's hand, his tiny fingers were cold in the redhead's. Matt smiled and glanced at the boy from his peripherals- Near's countenance seemed warmer than before, if only by a few degrees._

_---_

Matt pushed his tongue into Mello's mouth, fighting the slim man for dominance as he always did- even though it was all show. They both knew who'd end up on top in the end. Mello writhed and bucked beneath him, trying to throw Matt off. To punch him, smack him and kick him, maybe even shoot him full of holes until-

Oh.

Until he started to suck on Mello's tongue while simultaneously rubbing his full blown erection against the blonde's awakening cock. Both men moaned at the contact.

Despite the situation, or perhaps in spite of it, Mello grinned. "So you still come to me for release-"

"Shut up," Matt implored, fixating his lips to the blonde's in a swell of heat. Mello went silent, but bit Matt's bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. Matt moaned, wrapping his strong arms around the blonde and pressing him harder into the bed.

Their bed...Matt suddenly wondered what it would be like if this was Near here, in his arms, underneath him...he shook his head slightly and continued his ministrations, planting wet kisses over Mello's jaw and neck. Mello moaned throatily as Matt unzipped his vest and yanked the article off, sliding his tongue in a wet path across Mello's collarbone.

"Oh..." Mello moaned, arching himself into Matt and pressing his shoulders back. "D-Don't stop, Matt, don't f-fucking stop..."

_"I...I liked it, Matt. Please, do it again."_

Matt paused again, earning an angry growl from the man beneath him. "Matt, fucking do something or get off so I can," Mello snarled, each word a bullet of anger and wanton desire.

'Matt...'

Why was it Mello here and not Near? Matt pictured the smaller boy beneath him, hair fanned out around his head like a stark halo, pale skin flushed with desire. The boy was panting.

"Matt..." A warning tone.

"Sorry," the redhead murmured, dipping his head back towards the hollow of Near's neck, licking and sucking the smooth, warm skin. Near gasped softly and moaned, baring more of his neck to Matt's lusty kissing.

"Mmm..." Matt had never imagined these noises emerging from the albino's mouth, never imagined that he'd be the cause of them.

"N-hahh... Matt..." Matt let his lips trail down Near's chest, sucking and nipping every now and then, reaching a hand up to tease a pink nipple to erection.

"O-ooh," Near moaned again, pressing his chest into Matt's skillful touches. Matt chuckled, pinching the rosy bud and earning a soft squeak from Near. Still smiling, he repeated the action and leaned up, dragging his body along Near's to affix his mouth to the nipple's neglected twin, sucking greedily.

"O-Oh God," Near gasped out, wriggling and pushing himself against Matt. Matt felt Near's erection rubbing against his and he moaned, sending vibrations from the boy's nipple throughout his body.

"Mnn..." Near mumbled, rubbing his hips against Matt's, seeking friction. "Oh..." Matt moaned in response, thrusting his hips into the boy's. Never letting his mouth leave the pale skin for too long, Matt resumed his journey down Near's chest and stomach to the waistband of his pants, licking where cloth met skin.

"Want me to take these off?" Matt asked, tugging the pants several inched lower on Near's hips. Near blushed faintly and nodded, to Matt's immense delight. "Great. Lift your hips..." Matt scooted the pants off, pleased with the new sight of his naked, soon-to-be-lover. "Mnn..." Matt swept his tongue along Near's aroused manhood, earning a cry from the boy.

"_Matt_!" Near whipped his head to the side, panting, blushing, arching his hips and practically begging Matt to take him.

Matt ripped his own shirt off, tossing it over his shoulder with no care as to where it might land. He unzipped his pants and threw them, along with his boxers, after the shirt. Naked, he surveyed the boy before him. The readhead ran his hands up Near's almost feminine body- all that baby fat had melted away into soft semi-curves. The albino's skin was petal soft to his touch, pale hiding under a rose coloured flush. Near was panting softly, cheeks pink, watching as Matt examined the contours of his body. "Hahh..."

Matt dipped his head down, planting kisses along Near's inner thigh. He let his tongue dart out to taste the sweet flavour of the albino boy, sucking on the skin until he'd left a mark. "Y-You ready?" Matt asked, looking up from between Near's thighs. He could hear the excited tremor in his voice and he knew Near could too. Near nodded.

"Here, then," the chain smoker raised a hand and pressed two fingers to Near's pink lips, pressing slightly. Near took Matt's silent instructions and opened his mouth, pulling the digits into his moist cavern and sucking, his soft lips a vacuum around Matt's fingers. Matt watched, aroused, as Near sucked.

Certain that they were slick and wet, Matt pulled his fingers from Near's mouth and trailed them down his chest. Near moaned in ecstasy, arching with the gamer's touches. Matt smiled at the boy's reactions- why hadn't they been doing this all along?

His breath quickening, Matt prodded at Near's entrance with one cool finger. The pale boy spread his legs and, understanding the acknowledgement, Matt pressed his first finger in three knuckles deep.

"Ng! A-Ahh!" Near hissed and thrashed for a moment, and Matt worried that he was hurting him. But Near soon calmed, his breathing labored, his pale body writhing in pain turned pleasure when Matt began to pump his first finger, and then added a second one, in and out, in and out.

"I can't wait any longer," Matt murmured, pushing his body up against the other boy's and kissing him heatedly. "I need you right now..." Near nodded, flushed with desire, and spread his legs.

_So, this was it._

Matt positioned himself, pressing the tip of his member to Near's virgin entrance. "Mmrg..." With a low grunt, the redhead slowly pushed in, slower than he'd ever gone during sex. It would be perfect for Near...He wanted it perfect.

_'This is it. Mello...'_

"A-haah!" Near cried out in ecstasy, squeezing his eyes shut and biting his lip. "Matt! Ma- hahh...!"

_'I'm sorry.'_

Matt pulled the pale boy up in his arms, crushing their forms together and he pounded in. Near was moaning, crying, his hands clawing at Matt's chest. "M-att! Ahh! D-deep...more, more!"

_'It was you, Near.'_

"It's always been you...!" Matt grunted, laying Near back on the bed and thrusting into him. Near threw his legs around Matt's waist and met each of his lover's thrusts, moaning with wanton abandon.

'_Near...'_

"Rraahh!" Near screamed, raw and needy, raking his nails down Matt's back as he came, hard, onto both of their stomachs.

"I-I love you!" Matt screamed. White lanced across his vision as he pushed deeper into his lover's spasming body, euphoric in his release.

"Hahh, hahh..."

Panting, exerted, Matt fell on top of the equally spent boy beneath him, reaching up to comb his fingers in Near's white, curly hair. "I love you, Near..." Matt muttered, planting a kiss on Near's shoulder.

The room was silent for thirty seconds. Thirty blissful seconds of sweet afterglow, until Matt felt a burning pain collide with his left arm. "Ow, _shit!_" Matt swore, rolling to the edge of the bed with his hand covering the wounded shoulder. "What the fuck-"

"Don't you even 'what the fuck' me!" Mello screamed, face distorted and angry, eyes filled with rage. "How could you fucking say that?"

Matt felt the world drop from beneath him; where his phantom Near had been laying, a fully physical, real-life Mello was sitting, his skin still flushed from sexual exertion.

'_None of it was real...'_

"If that's what you fucking wanted," Mello was getting up now, tugging his leather pants over his hips, "you should've fucking boned the runt on the couch!"

"M-Mel, wai-"

"No fucking way in hell, man! I'm out! Take your fucking room, and your boyfriend! I'll catch Kira on my own!"

"_Why did you have to do that? You'd betray me for him? HIM?"_

"So fuck off!"

"_Near fucking wins again, doesn't he Matt?"_

"You piece of shit, I-"

"Mello!"

"_Matt, you can only have one of us! I hate that kid, I hate him, I HATE HIM!"_

"No, Matt!"

"_So, Matt, him..."_

"I don't even want to fucking look at you."

"_Or me...?"_

"I...Mel, you're my best friend..."

"Him or me, Matt?" Matt looked up- Mello was fully dressed and standing at the door, poised to leave. "Who do you fucking want?"

So it was just like Whammy's, eleven years ago.

"_You, of course Mel. Come on, you know we're best friends."_

"Mel...I can't leave him again. I'm sorry..." And in a swish of leather and blonde, Mello was gone.

Damn...damn, damn, damn. Matt collapsed back onto his bed, naked and exposed, his mind in shambles.

'_Near, Mello...' _He thought, pressing his palms to his eyes. _'Near, Mello, Nate, Mihael, Near, Mihael, Nate, Nate, Nate-'_

"Matt."

A clear, soft voice rang through Matt's mind like it'd been spoken there. The smoker jumped up and sat, startled, as Near appeared a whole room and world away from him, in his doorway.

"May I come in?" He asked, his hands for once stationary at his sides. And Matt knew Near'd heard everything.

The albino was standing on a precipice, waiting to fall into his arms.

"Okay. Come in."

-----

**Tsukiraven: O**kay, I can't help but feel that I have to explain a little bit here: Matt is _imagining _that he's sleeping with Near instead of Mello. He looses himself in the fantasy and calls out Near's name. Ouch.

If there's anything else in question, drop me a review and lemme know! I have no problem explaining anything here, I know this chappie's kinda confusing.

Anyway, hope it's up to my reader's standards for being written so fast! Enjoy! –wavewave- Review.


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